Therapeutic device capable of interactively cross-outputting low frequencies or ultrasound and heat
11369511 · 2022-06-28
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
A61H23/00
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A61N1/36014
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A61F7/00
HUMAN NECESSITIES
International classification
A61F7/00
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A61H23/00
HUMAN NECESSITIES
Abstract
The present invention relates to a therapeutic device capable of alternatingly outputting a low-frequency wave or an ultrasonic wave and heat, and more particularly, the present invention includes: a heat output unit; and a low-frequency wave output unit which generates a low-frequency wave that is outputted alternatingly with heat outputted by the heat output unit, or includes: a heat output unit; and an ultrasonic wave output unit which generates an ultrasonic wave that is outputted alternatingly with heat outputted by the heat output unit. The present invention provides the therapeutic device capable of alternatingly outputting the low-frequency wave or the ultrasonic wave and the heat, which has the low-frequency wave output unit, the ultrasonic wave output unit, or the low-frequency wave output unit and the ultrasonic wave output unit, and the heat output unit, and maintains a temperature without problems by alternatingly outputting the low-frequency wave or the ultrasonic wave and the heat which are outputted by the output units, respectively, thereby improving user satisfaction.
Claims
1. A therapeutic device comprising: a heat output unit including a first heating wire and a second heating wire, the first heating wire is disposed on an entire pad of the therapeutic device, the second heating wire is disposed at the central portion of the pad and disposed inside of the first heating wire; a low-frequency wave output unit including a plurality of electrode pads and configured to generate a low-frequency wave within a predetermined band that is adapted to provide a therapeutic effect to muscles using an alternating output pattern with heat outputted by the heat output unit; and an ultrasonic wave output unit including a plurality of ultrasonic pads and configured to generate an ultrasonic wave that is outputted alternatingly with heat outputted by the heat output unit, wherein the low-frequency wave output unit and the ultrasonic wave output unit are disposed at the central portion of the pad of the therapeutic device, wherein, when the second heating wire concentratedly heats portions of the plurality of electrode pads and the plurality of ultrasonic pads in response to a temperature of the portions of the plurality of electrode pads and the plurality of ultrasonic pads reaching a predetermined temperature, the second heating wire is configured to be turned ‘off’, and the first heating wire is configured to be maintained in an ‘on’ state; wherein the heat output unit is configured to be turned ‘off’ in response to a temperature reaching a target temperature, and turned ‘on’ or ‘off’ in response to a temperature being lower than the target temperature so as to perform an output operation alternatingly with the low-frequency wave output unit or the ultrasonic wave output unit, and wherein the therapeutic device is configured such that when the heat output unit is on, each of the low-frequency wave output unit and the ultrasonic wave output unit are off, and when the low-frequency wave output unit or the ultrasonic wave output unit are on, the heat output unit is off.
2. The therapeutic device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of ultrasonic pads of the ultrasonic wave output unit is disposed between two of the plurality of electrode pads of the low-frequency wave output unit.
3. The therapeutic device of claim 1, wherein the therapeutic device comprises a main body for at least one output unit, disposed among the heat output unit, the low-frequency wave output unit, and the ultrasonic wave output unit.
4. The therapeutic device of claim 1, wherein the low-frequency wave output unit or the ultrasonic wave output unit outputs in a pattern in a plurality of continuous cycles, and the heat output unit is turned ‘on’ in an idle period between the patterns so as to perform an output operation alternatingly with the low-frequency wave or the ultrasonic wave output unit.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
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BEST MODE
(7) Hereinafter, a therapeutic device capable of alternatingly outputting a low-frequency wave or an ultrasonic wave and heat according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(8) As illustrated in
(9) First, as illustrated in
(10) The main body may be manufactured as a single body (pad). The present invention is not limited thereto, and the main body may be manufactured by coupling and closely attaching a plurality of separate pads.
(11) The heat output unit 20 is mounted in the main body, and the low-frequency wave output unit 30 and/or the ultrasonic wave output unit 40 is mounted on an outer portion of the main body.
(12) Further, a power source (not illustrated), that is, an SMPS is provided at one side of the main body so as to supply electric power to the therapeutic device. An electric power supply unit (battery or the like) may be mounted in the main body.
(13) In addition, the main body may be manufactured in various forms, and for example, the main body may be manufactured in various forms such as a foot pad shape, an abdomen pad shape, a leg pad shape, and a multi-pad shape, and in addition to the pad shapes, the main body may be manufactured in various forms such as a chair shape, and a mat or mattress shape.
(14) Further, the heat output unit, the low-frequency wave output unit and/or the ultrasonic wave output unit according to the present invention may be applied to a therapeutic device in the form of a glove, and may also be applied to a therapeutic device using a wireless electrode.
(15) Although not illustrated in the attached drawings, in the therapeutic device according to the present invention, the heat output unit, the low-frequency wave output unit and/or the ultrasonic wave output unit may be configured as independent main bodies, that is, pads, respectively, instead of being configured on the single main body.
(16) In this case, the heat output unit may be configured to be attached to and detached from a rear surface or one side of the low-frequency wave output unit or the ultrasonic wave output unit.
(17) In addition, the low-frequency wave output unit and the ultrasonic wave output unit may be configured to be attached to and detached from each other.
(18) As another exemplary embodiment, although not illustrated in the attached drawings, the low-frequency wave output unit and the ultrasonic wave output unit are integrally configured as a single main body (i.e., pad), and the heat output unit may be configured to be attached to and detached from this pad.
(19) However, in the following description, as illustrated in the attached
(20) Further, the respective pads of the main body 10 may be made of a soft material when the respective pads need to be deformed in accordance with a use state of the therapeutic device, and the respective pads may be made of a material having rigidity when the respective pads need not to be deformed.
(21) As illustrated in
(22) Further, the heating wire 21 of the heat output unit 20 is connected to the power source and generates heat by being supplied with electric power and supplies heat, thereby obtaining a fomentation effect.
(23) In this case, a bi-metal B, as a configuration for constantly maintaining a temperature of the therapeutic device, may be connected to the heating wire 21 of the heat output unit 20, and as a result, it is possible to constantly maintain a temperature of the main body 10 by cutting off electric power when a temperature of the heating wire 21 increases than necessary.
(24) In addition, a temperature sensor TS may be mounted on the main body 10 so as to monitor a temperature of the main body 10 in real time, and the temperature may be controlled by a control unit based on a temperature signal detected by the temperature sensor.
(25) Furthermore, the heating wire 21 of the heat output unit 20 may be disposed in various forms.
(26) First, in a case in which the heating wire 21 of the heat output unit 20 is configured as a single wire as illustrated in
(27) As another exemplary embodiment, in a case in which two heating wires of the heat output unit 20 are disposed as illustrated in
(28) In addition, as illustrated in
(29) When the therapeutic device is used, the first dense portion 21a and the second dense portion 21b may quickly heat the pad portions of the output units because the central portion of the pad, that is, the portions, where the electrode pads of the low-frequency wave output unit 30 and/or the ultrasonic pad of the ultrasonic wave output unit 30 are disposed, mainly come into contact with the user's body.
(30) In particular, in a case in which the two heating wires of the heat output unit 20 are disposed and the electrode pads of the low-frequency wave output unit 30 and/or the ultrasonic pad of the ultrasonic wave output unit 40 are made of metal, when the second dense portion 21b concentratedly heats the pad portions of the output units and temperatures of the pad portions of the output units reach predetermined temperatures, the heating wire 21B, which constitutes the second dense portion 21b, may be turned ‘off’, and only the other heating wire 21A may be maintained in an ‘on’ state.
(31) The dense portions 21a and 21b of the heating wires allow a temperature of a portion, which is in contact with the user's body, to reach the predetermined temperature within short time in comparison with other portions, thereby enabling the therapeutic device to be more efficiently used.
(32) Although not illustrated in the attached drawings, the heat output unit may of course have the two heating wire, and various types of arrangement structures may be implemented by increasing the number of heating wires.
(33) As illustrated in
(34) In this case, the respective electrode pads 31, 33, and 35 of the low-frequency wave output unit 30 may oscillate frequencies within different bands or may use a multichannel method in order to apply independent stimulation.
(35) In particular, the therapeutic device according to the present invention is configured to be able to alternatingly output the heat by the heat output unit 20, and the low-frequency wave by the low-frequency wave output unit 30.
(36) That is, as illustrated in
(37) That is, the heat output unit 20 is maintained in the ‘off’ state in a section in which the low-frequency wave within the predetermined band is generated by the low-frequency wave output unit 30, and the heat output unit 20 is maintained in the ‘on’ state in a section other than the section in which the low-frequency wave is generated.
(38) When only the heat is outputted at all times, the temperature of the therapeutic device is constantly maintained such that a fomentation effect may be obtained, but a therapeutic function by the low-frequency wave may not be carried out while the heat is used, and on the contrary, when only the low-frequency wave is outputted at all times, a fomentation effect by the heat of the therapeutic device may not be expected while the therapeutic function by the low-frequency wave is carried out.
(39) Therefore, in the present invention, the heat and the low-frequency wave, which are outputted by the heat output unit 20 and the low-frequency wave output unit 30, are alternatingly outputted, and as a result, it is possible to perform the therapeutic function by the low-frequency wave, and to maximize the therapeutic effect by the low-frequency wave by constantly maintaining the temperature of the therapeutic device and relaxing muscles at portions required to be treated or stimulated, and it is possible to diversify the therapeutic functions by simultaneously implementing the fomentation effect by the heat.
(40) In this case,
(41) In addition,
(42) In this case, a machine control unit (MCU) provided in a controller stores the output of the low-frequency wave by the low-frequency wave output unit 30, and controls the point in time at which the heat output unit 20 is turned ‘on/off’.
(43) That is, when the user selects the output of the low-frequency wave, the MCU stores the output of the low-frequency wave, and controls the heat so as to allow the heat to be in the ‘off’ state before the ‘on’ state in which the low-frequency wave is outputted, and to allow the heat to be in the ‘on’ state after the point in time at which the low-frequency wave is turned ‘off’, that is, when predetermined time has elapsed.
(44) Here,
(45) In the case illustrated in
(46) In this case, for example, when the idle period of time is 0.5 second, the heat may be outputted based on setting by the MCU.
(47) Therefore, even in a case in which the low-frequency wave is outputted in a pattern in several cycles, the heat is outputted during the idle period of time between the respective patterns, and the heat is provided during the treatment by the low-frequency wave, and as a result, it is possible to constantly maintain the temperature of the therapeutic device at all times.
(48)
(49) In addition, the measurement is carried out in a state in which preheating time is excluded to check the time taken to increase the temperature.
(50) First,
(51) Further,
(52) That is, it can be seen that it takes the same time for a temperature of the therapeutic device to reach the preset temperature in both of the case in which only the heat is outputted at all times as illustrated in
(53) Therefore, as described above, the therapeutic device according to the present invention may maximize the therapeutic effect by the low-frequency wave by relaxing a treatment site by using the heat and may also implement the fomentation effect by the heat when the treatment is carried out by the low-frequency wave, and as a result, it is possible to diversify the functions of the therapeutic device, and thus to improve therapeutic efficiency.
(54) As illustrated in
(55) That is, like the low-frequency wave output unit 30, the ultrasonic wave output unit 40 is configured such that the heat by the heat output unit 20 and the ultrasonic wave by the ultrasonic wave output unit 40 are alternatingly outputted.
(56) The operating method for this purpose and the method of controlling the heat according to the output of the ultrasonic wave are identical to the alternating output method by the heat output unit 20 and the low-frequency wave output unit 30, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
(57)
(58) Further, an experimental condition is set to be identical to that of the method of alternatingly outputting the heat and the low-frequency wave.
(59)
(60) Further,
(61) However, the preset temperature may be constantly maintained when the predetermined time has elapsed, and as a result, when the treatment is carried out by the ultrasonic wave when the predetermined time has elapsed, it is possible to maximize the therapeutic effect by the ultrasonic wave by relaxing a treatment site by using the heat, and also implement the fomentation effect by the heat, and as a result, it is possible to diversify the functions of the therapeutic device, and thus to improve therapeutic efficiency.
(62) As illustrated in
(63) Here, regarding the ‘on/off’ operation of the heat output unit 20 based on the target temperature, the heat output unit 20 is maintained in the ‘off’ state when a temperature of the pad reaches the target temperature, regardless of whether the output operations of the low-frequency wave output unit 30 and/or the ultrasonic wave output unit 40.
(64) However, in the case in which the temperature is decreased after the temperature of the pad reaches the target temperature or the case in which the temperature of the pad does not yet reach the target temperature, the operation of turning ‘on’ the heat output unit 20 means that the heat output unit 20 performs the output operation alternatingly with the low-frequency wave output unit 30 and/or the ultrasonic wave output unit 40 and increases a temperature of the pad to the target temperature.
(65) Therefore, in a case in which a temperature of the pad does not reach the target temperature, the heat output unit 20 is turned ‘on’ or ‘off’ and performs the output operation alternatingly with the low-frequency wave output unit and/or the ultrasonic wave output unit until a temperature of the pad reaches the target temperature.
(66) Meanwhile, the therapeutic device according to the present invention may adopt all of the heat output unit 20, the low-frequency wave output unit 30, and the ultrasonic wave output unit 40.
(67) In this case, when the heat by the heat output unit 20 and the low-frequency wave by the low-frequency wave output unit 30 are alternatingly outputted and operated, the ultrasonic wave output unit 40 is maintained in the ‘off’ state.
(68) In contrast, when the heat by the heat output unit 20 and the ultrasonic wave by the ultrasonic wave output unit 40 are alternatingly outputted and operated, the low-frequency wave output unit 30 is maintained in the ‘off’ state.
(69) However, only one of the output units may be selectively operated, or the respective output units may sequentially and alternatingly perform the output operations.
(70) Further, the therapeutic device according to the present invention may additionally include a laser output unit in addition to the heat output unit, the low-frequency wave output unit, and the ultrasonic wave output unit 40.
(71) That is, in a case in which all of the heat output unit 20, the low-frequency wave output unit 30, and the ultrasonic wave output unit 40 are applied to the therapeutic device according to the present invention, a variety of functions may be implemented through the aforementioned various driving modes, thereby diversifying effects of the therapeutic device.
(72) In addition, on the consumer side, it is possible to improve satisfaction because various functions may be implemented by the single therapeutic device, and also improve economic feasibility because it is not necessary to separately purchase the therapeutic devices having the functions.
(73) Further, regarding the arrangement structures, the low-frequency wave output unit 30 and the ultrasonic wave output unit 40 according to the present invention may be disposed in various shapes depending on which site of the user's body needs to be subjected to stimulation and whether the therapeutic purposes are achieved.
(74) Among various arrangement structures, the therapeutic device illustrated in the attached
(75) First, a total of six electrode pads of the low-frequency wave output unit 30 are disposed, and the arrangement structure thereof will be described below.
(76) That is, a pair of electrode pads is vertically disposed at both sides based on the center of the main body 10, and another pair of electrode pads is disposed at both sides of the main body 10.
(77) In this case, the pair of electrode pads, which is positioned at the left side based on
(78) That is, the first and second electrode pads 31 and 33 are attached to portion adjacent to an origin and an insertion of the rectus abdominis of the user.
(79) In this case, the first and second electrode pads 31 and 33 may be simultaneously contracted, or the second electrode pad 33 may be contracted after the first electrode pad 31 is contracted, and with the alternating stimulation, it is possible to reduce electricity fatigue.
(80) The third electrode pads 35 are attached to the origin of the transverse abdominis of the user, and since the origin of the transverse abdominis is a portion where motor nerves, which control the rectus abdominis and the transverse abdominis, are arranged, it is possible to efficiently contract the rectus abdominis and the transverse abdominis, and reduce a muscle fatigue with the alternating stimulation.
(81) In addition, when an interference phenomenon (IC) occurs by applying intermediate-frequency electric current to the first electrode pad 31 and the third electrode pad 35 which are disposed at the left side based on the center of the main body 10 or to the second electrode pad 33 and the third electrode pad 35 which are disposed at the right side, non-simultaneous muscular contraction occurs by burst, and as a result, it is possible to obtain a physiologic effect similar to voluntary contraction, reduce a fatigue, and induce a function of efficiently strengthening muscles by stimulating core muscles.
(82) In addition, in the case of the abdomen or waist pad, the pad may be attached at a position of the waist and utilized to relieve waist pain for the erector spinae and the peripheral muscles, and as a result, the pad may be utilized in a mode for relieving acute or chronic pain.
(83) Further, the ultrasonic pads 41 of the low-frequency wave output unit 30 are disposed between the electrode pads of the low-frequency wave output unit 30, and in this case, the ultrasonic pads 41 are vertically disposed between the first and second electrode pads 31 and 33, that is, at the central portion of the main body 10, and the ultrasonic pads 41, which are disposed at both sides based on the center of the main body 10, are disposed between the first electrode pads 31 and between the second electrode pads 33.
(84) That is, the arrangement structures among the electrode pads and the ultrasonic pads 41 are disposed at exact positions on the user's body required to be subjected to the stimulation treatment, and as a result, it is possible to improve therapeutic efficiency.
(85) In addition, in a case in which the low-frequency wave output unit 30 and the ultrasonic wave output unit 40 are simultaneously applied, it is possible to implement the arrangement structure that may maximize spatial utilization of the therapeutic device.
(86) The arrangement structure is applied to the abdomen or waist pad, and an optimum arrangement structure for the pad such as a multi-pad or a foot pad may be implemented when treatment sites are changed.
(87) Meanwhile, the therapeutic device according to the present invention may have a non-contact alerting means which generates warning sound when there is a defect of contact between the user's body and the electrode pads 31, 33, and 35 of the low-frequency wave output unit 30, or the ultrasonic pads 41 of the ultrasonic wave output unit 40, or all of the pads.
(88) If the respective pads are not in contact with or are incompletely in contact with the user's body, there is a risk that electrical shock will occur, and as a result, it is necessary to always check whether the respective pads are completely in contact with the user's body.
(89) Therefore, when the respective pads are not in contact with or are incompletely in contact with the user's body, the non-contact alerting means 60 may generate warning sound, thereby enabling the therapeutic device to be safely used and improving the therapeutic effect.
(90) In addition, the non-contact alerting means may generate warning sound only when the electrode pads and the user's body are not in contact with each other or only when the ultrasonic pads and the user's body are not in contact with each other.
(91) In addition, a ceramic 50 illustrated in
(92) While the therapeutic device capable of alternatingly outputting the low-frequency wave or the ultrasonic wave and the heat according to the present invention has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings regarding particular shapes and directions, it should be interpreted that the present invention may be variously modified and altered by those skilled in the art, and the modification and the alteration belong to the protection scope of the present invention.